Races & Places with azsungoddessRunning & Racing around the country

"Disclaimer: I received a 5k Crate Shipment as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

There are a million subscription boxes out there. They vary widely in price, quality and usefulness. I was given the chance to try out 5k crate, which I thought would be like every other running-focused subscription box. I was wrong.

I wasn’t familiar with 5k crate, but it turns out that they are focused on providing high quality, premium running gear for the everyday runner – with items you will actually USE!

Here’s what was in my crate:

Mission VaporActive Alpha Running shirt (retail price $35.95)

Mission ViaporActive Cooling towel (retail price $19.99)

Spigen Wireless Bluetooth Headphones (retail price $45.00)

Zensah peek running socks (retail price $19.99)

(2) Epic Full-Size Body Wipes (retail $2.50 each)

(3) La Fresh Travel Sunscreen Samples (retail $1.00 each)

I wasn’t expecting such full size useful items!

Zensah socksThe first item I dug into were the socks. I brought them on vacation with me. They felt like the same moisture wicking material that you would see in a tech shirt, in a nice bright color. Comfortable and washed well. I liked them !! Bonus - it coordinated with the shirt that came in the box too!

Mission Cooling TowelNext I tried out the cooling towel. I have been wanting one of these for awhile now, and for whatever reason, just haven’t gotten around to getting one. I used it after a run in the AZ heat. I just wetted it and attempted to “snap” it. I’m not sure if I was doing it right, it felt good, but it wasn’t COLD. It was probably user error. It’s a good size towel and it dries fast! This is a keeper.

Mission Running shirtIt FINALLY cooled off enough to wear a short sleeve shirt in Phoenix. Luckily the shirt was not unisex and it came in a fitted style! It fit perfectly. (you provide your top, bottom and shoe size when you sign up). This shirt was very lightweight – but it’s strongest selling feature is the fast drying aspect. It says it dries 5x faster than your typical moisture wicking material. Normally when I get home from a run, the first thing I need to do is get that nasty running top and sports bra off. However, this was basically dry in the 5 minutes it took me to drive home. I would TOTALLY wear this and would love to buy one in a tank top style if available.

Epic WipesWhen I saw these in the cart, I thought to myself – these are coming with me to Ragnar! They are HUGE and have a eucalyptus scent. I did not try these out yet because they have to come with me to Ragnar! Too good to waste now. Look at the size - 31.5 x 19.7!

La Fresh SPF wipesWho doesn’t need sunscreen on the go? Just toss a wipe in your purse if you’re headed to a ballgame, soccer match or a run/hike. I didn't actually try them out yet, I am saving these for Ragnar next week.

Spigen wireless headphonesTruth be told, I don’t actually need another pair of headphones, I happen to love mine. But, it’s good to have a backup, so I wanted to give these a try. I first charged them - they took a few hours to charge. I tried to pair them with my phone, but was not successful. It said "pairing" but it never did sync. I will try it again, I'm sure it was user error or something.

The verdict:This was the nicest subscription box I have seen for runners. It is only quarterly, but the value is guaranteed to be at least a $100. I was delighted that it wasn’t gel samples or energy bar samples (yawn). I am going to use at least 6 of the 7 items in this box. The price is $59.99 per quarter, and you save more than 10% if you prepay annually. You can also save $5 by joining their email list to receive specials. I will consider buying myself one of these next year as a one off, but probably not a full year subscription.

"Disclaimer: I received a complimentary race entry for the Rock n Roll Savannah Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

This year, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series will be celebrating 20 Years Running. 2017 will also mark Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon & 1/2 Marathon’s 7th year with the series.

I’m taking on the half marathon, less than 8 weeks away. This race is going to be special to me for 2 reasons:

I’m turning it into a “racecation” and will be running It with one of my best running friends, who moved a few years ago to the Hilton Head area.

It will be my 50th half marathon!

Check out the medals for this year’s race:

There are several distances to choose from:

1 mile

5k

Half marathon

Full marathon

Marathon relay

BONUS - - Doing any two events qualifies you for the “remix challenge” special medal!

If you need a fall marathon or half, join me! Right now, you can save $15 with BIBRAVE15 on the half or full.

My next RNR Savannah post will take a look at the course, live entertainment and area attractions.

"Disclaimer: I received a Stunt Puppy Go Dog Glo Collar to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

I will admit that I hadn’t put much thought into my dog’s collar. He was wearing a “hand me down” from our previous dog. It was nothing special, but it did the job.

The collar comes in 6 bright colors, so of course I chose my favorite (orange). My first reaction was how smooth and light it was. And, that it had an extra D ring. The advantage there is that you can be clipped into one with your leash on his back, and his tags can still hang from the D ring below his neck. It’s wide open space with no other clutter.

Now, I live in the desert, so having a wet collar is a pretty unusual occurrence. But I can totally see the advantage of not having a wet stinky collar that soaks in moisture. The water just rolls off the smooth surface.

Reflection is a wonderful feature – especially if you walk your dog early in the morning or late at night. In the summers here in Arizona, that is pretty much the only choice we have if we want to not melt. My dog can be a door dasher sometimes, so knowing that he could be seen at night if he got out makes me feel a little better too. Below is a pic taken in the dark with a flash, similar to what would show with headlights. It was so brightly reflective!

Stunt Puppy makes collars, leashes, harnesses and ID collars – all Made in the USA! The collar retails for $26.00. Right now they are offering 20% off with code BIBRAVE917.